The much-awaited meeting of 23 district presidents of the Congress from Odisha with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi earlier scheduled for 4 PM today had to be postponed because of the latter’s preoccupation.

The meeting has been rescheduled for 10 AM tomorrow.

This was informed by party’s deputy in-charge for Odisha Subhankar Sarkar.

The 23 district presidents of the party who are on a visit to Delhi have been accompanied by few general secretaries and secretaries of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC). This apart, OPCC vice-president Ranjib Biswal is also on a visit to Delhi on a special call from the party vice-president.

According to party sources, forthcoming panchayat elections and organizational matters are likely to figure in the meeting.

It’s being widely discussed in the political circles that Rahul has called 33 district presidents of the party to meet him in order to gauge support behind OPCC president Prasad Harichandan within the organization in the state. The district presidents have been asked by Rahul to meet him in two phases.

This is being termed as an acid test for Harichandan ever since 16 MLAs of the party from the state camped at Delhi pitching for replacement of OPCC president.

Following the incident, Harichandan too had visited Delhi and met Rahul.